Breeding roses is a careful, hands-on process. It starts when the breeder picks two parent roses—one to give pollen (the father) and one to grow the seed (the mother). The breeder removes the petals from a mother rose so the center is easy to reach.
Next, the breeder takes pollen from the father rose. This pollen looks like yellow dust on the ends of the stamens. The breeder gently brushes it onto the center of the mother rose, called the pistil. This is where the seed will grow if the pollination works.
After pollination, the breeder covers the flower with a bag or net to keep insects away. Over time, a rose hip forms. This is like a fruit, and inside are the seeds for new baby roses. It can take several months for the hip to ripen.
Once the hip is ready, the breeder cuts it open and takes out the seeds. The seeds are cleaned and chilled for weeks in a fridge to help them start growing. Then, they’re planted in pots or trays with soil and placed under lights or in a greenhouse.
As the seedlings sprout and grow, breeders watch closely for color, size, leaf health, and how fast the plants grow. Only a few are strong and beautiful enough to keep. These few may grow into test roses, which are planted in gardens and watched for a few years to see how they do.
If a rose passes all the tests, it might become a new variety with a name and a place in the garden world. This journey from flower to finished rose takes years—but every bloom is worth the wait!
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.